Miniature yacht



y H. E. BOUCHER I MINIATURE YACHT Filed Jgn. 31. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet4 l 74. \C^` i l mwy ATTORNEY f'- Feb. 8, 1927.

H. E. BOUCHER j mmjiATUREYAcHT Find Jan. :51;1922 .2- sheets-sheet a Patented Feb. 8, 1927.

UNI-fren srarss rare r-IonAcE noucnnaonnnw Yonai, N.; Y.

` atlante y i l 'rrI'NrArURE YACHT.

pplication filed January 31, 1922. Serial No. 532,950 v My invention relatesfto miniatureyachts and more particularly to a means for shifting the sail plan of the yacht forward or aft as desired in order to secure a balance between the center of 'effort 'of the sailsandthe center of lateral resistance of the hull, thus en'- abling the yacht to keep a true course.

Oneof the objects of my invention.v is to provide a miniatureyacht havingthe'usual hull, keel and rudder vwith a simple means yfor adjusting the mast, forward or aft as desired. A *Y Wit-h the above' object in view my. inven- V tion consists in the parts',l improvements and combinations more fully pointed out hereinL after.v Y

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 shows'a .sidee'levation of the miniature yacht embodying myiimprovementa Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view'ishowing 'the longitudinallyr adjustable stepv carryingA the mast.V

`Fig. 3is a detail view of the step.V

The sail boat asillustrated7 is a miniature yacht which is of reduced size, has the usual hull lfandis provided with a keel 2. It

also carries a rudder 3 withv tiller 1, a" rub;l

ber banel attachedl to 'hook rudder normally 'Centmp v t It will 'be understood that the ability of 6 keeping the y the hull of a sail boat to withstand the pressure of the water maybe described asfits lateral resistance and that the ,balancing point called the center of lateral resistance,

Vis the point at Vwhich,if pressure is applied tothe hull in the direction at right angles` to the length of the hull, the hull wouldbe pushed exactly sidewise thru the'waterand would not pivot.' Thecenter of lateralre the deck and within the sistance lies below profile of the hull.`

It will be also .understood that with the lsail plan there is a center of effort, or in Vother words a point at which the pressure of the wind may be considered tobe applied, which center is usually slightly aft of the center of lateral resistance of the hull. This center of effort usually lies within the profile ofthe mainsail.

Ordinarily the pressure ofthe wind is 'such as to givev the Yhu-ll a tendency to pivot on a vertical axis so as to head .up into the wind In korder to keep her on the course with her sails lilled, the rudder is placed and maintained by the helmsman at a slight angle tothe center line of the hull, being put in this position bythe tiller;

Altho theoretically one may predetermin'e the center of' eff-ortand lcenter of lateral resist-ance when a vesselVi-s standing uprightl it; is not, however', possible to so determine the reise l exact relation when the vessel heels over to the pressureof the wind, for then the centers move `slightly either forward or aft. n

In accordance with my invention 1 accomplish as nearly as Apossible va balance be? tween the center of leffort of the sails and-the `center of lateral resistance-of the hull.' In

my miniature yacht obtain ,as far as' possi ble a relation between the two 'centers so that the center of 'effort is directly above the center of'lateral resistance andjisfneither sails forward or aft andfor securing it in its.

forth are provided which may 'consist Yof j y slots 11 `in the step and screws 12 with washers 13 for holdingthestep in its' adjusted position, without piercing .or slotting the water Vproof'solid deck of the boat. The eye of the jib or triangular point 14 is, in the best embodiment ofthe invention, connected to the front of the step by means of the jib stay and hook k15. -In this way both'sails are carried by and moved fore and aft :withl the step. i

The sheet 16 for the jib may be secured Vat runner 18 may be provided for the jib sheet. The main sheet 19 is connected at 'one end cleat 20 on the boom of the mainsail so that when the yacht heels'under the pressure of the wind the tiller turns,ithus moving the rudder'' and bringing thebody up further into the wind; Y i Y The operation will be readily understood `one end to a cleat 17a and an iron 17 and .to the tiller l and at the other end to the f from the description and drawings.v `The l person, sailing the boat may hoist the sails, select an angle for'the rudder so as to provide a weather helm as it is called, which varies with the strength of the wind, The l lentire rig or sail plan can be moved lore or aft so as to givev a perfect balance under different weather conditions. The sails may be trimmed to get the best speed out of the boat. n v y `What I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

l. A miniature yacht comprising in coinbination, a hull, a rudder, amast adapted to carry the sail, a step supported on the underlying deck of the yacht, said step carrying said mast, the heelof the mast being mounted in said step, theheel of the mast being above the deck so that -tlie step. carrying the mast may slide vover the deck, and adjusting meansfor securing` said step to the deck ot the yacht so as to'sliil't the Center of eilort along the center line of the hull, fore Yand aft' ot' the centeroi lateral resistance without said adjustment shifting the mast j sideways of the hull. v

' 2. A miniature yacht comprisingl in coinbination, a hull, a rudder, a mast adapted to carry a mainsail and a jib, means 'for con'- necting` therudder to the mainsail boom, a step supported on the underlying deck of the yacht, said step carrying the heel of said Y mast and adjusting bolts` for .said step car- K se ried hy saidr deck so as to shi'l't the center of eiloit fore and aft of the center of lateral resistance without said adjustment shifting the mast sidewaysvof the hull, thereby securing a balance between the center yof eiiort of the sails and the center of lateral resistance of the hull, thus enabling the yacht to keep a true course.

3. A miniature yacht comprising in combination a hull', a rudder, a'inast adapted to Carr the sail a movable ste carr inffsaid vthen adjustable lso as to viiaaazss mast, the heel or' the mast being mounted'in said step, means ior adjustably securingl Vsaid step to the deck of the yacht, said step being effort fore'and aft of the center oit lateral resistance without said adjustment shifting' thelkmast sideways of the hull, thereby securing a balance between the center ont eortfo'l the sails vand the center off lateral resistance of thel hull, thus enabling the yacht vto keep a true course.. I Y

Ll. A miniature yacht comprising in coinbination, ahull, aruddei, a mast ladapted to carry the sail, a step carrying` said inast mounted upon the deck of the yacht, said step provided with slots whereby it is adjustable lore-and att so as to shift the center of eiioit fore and resistance of the hull, thus enabling the yacht to keep a j Y of screws passing thru said slotsy into the deck vof the yacht for securing the step in 'Y its adjusted position A miniature yacht comprising in com# bination', ya hull, arudder and a keel and means lor supporting the mainsail and jib thereon, said means comprising a mast, a

shift the center of' aft of the center of Y lateral resistance without Y,said adjustment Y shitting the mast sideways of the hull, thereby securing a balance between the'centerroiy eiiort of the sails and the center of lateral true course, and a plurality Y said step at the-forward end 

